• Punjab Government Bans Gatherings in Rawalpindi and Surrounding Districts
• 4,000 Police Personnel Deployed, Rangers Called In to Maintain Law and Order
• Party Leaders Promise to Assemble at Liaquat Bagh ‘Despite All Obstacles’
LAHORE / RAWALPINDI: To prevent the PTI protest scheduled for Saturday, the provincial government has prohibited all public gatherings and deployed paramilitary forces in Rawalpindi.
The party designated Liaquat Bagh as the protest venue, which was initially planned to be a jalsa. However, the PTI founder changed the plans, stating that the government would obstruct the event in the city and push for a location in the outskirts.
In a video message released on Friday, PTI Punjab Acting President Hammad Azhar announced that the party would conduct a “massive yet peaceful political public gathering” at 2 PM. He urged supporters to arrive early, as the police had forcibly dispersed their previous gathering in Lahore last week for exceeding the permitted time.
Despite PTI leaders’ determination to reach the venue “despite all hurdles,” the task will be challenging. According to a senior police official, the Rawalpindi Police, Rangers, and Punjab Constabulary have devised plans to “lay a virtual siege” to the city to deter PTI workers.
Traffic will be restricted, with roads blocked by containers and barbed wire, preventing entry and exit from the city. “Extraordinary security measures have been implemented to ensure peace, and no protests will be allowed,” confirmed a top police official.
Section 144 Imposed in Rawalpindi
On Friday, the day before the protest, deputy commissioners of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Attock districts requested the Punjab Home Department to prohibit all gatherings in the city. This request was swiftly approved, leading to the imposition of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, in Rawalpindi and neighboring districts.
This measure bans all types of gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations, jalsas, protests, and activities involving the carrying or displaying of weapons. The deputy commissioners expressed concerns that miscreants might exploit PTI’s protest to engage in “subversive or anti-state activities.”
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema stated that his administration and local police are collaborating to maintain law and order in the district. Six companies of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) have been stationed in Rawalpindi and Attock at the request of the respective deputy commissioners.
The Ministry of Interior, which oversees the Rangers, has deployed troops at the request of the Punjab Home Department, and these forces will remain in the two districts until Sunday.
Despite the restrictions, PTI leaders have vowed to reach the venue. PTI Lahore President Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood stated in a video message that workers and supporters from Punjab’s capital would gather at Liaquat Bagh to advance the movement for judicial independence. He emphasized that PTI would persist in its struggle until the law and Constitution are upheld.
Traders Express Frustration
Local shopkeepers in nearby Raja Bazaar and Murree Road are concerned about potential disruptions to their businesses due to the protest. Traders Association President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha stated, “The government should designate a separate area for protests, as it disrupts business operations and hinders people’s movement on the roads.”
He added that traders are already facing financial difficulties due to rising electricity and gas costs. Paracha voiced his frustration over the frequency of protests in the garrison city, recalling that earlier this year, Jamaat-i-Islami staged a prolonged sit-in on Murree Road against high electricity costs, along with demonstrations by teachers, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, and other religious groups.
